


Brains and Survival

by ImagineOnYourOwn



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Multi, Shane Walsh Lives, Zombie Apocalypse, Zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-01-10 21:58:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12308661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImagineOnYourOwn/pseuds/ImagineOnYourOwn
Summary: Working on it





	1. The Farm

Trotting on the ranch’s field, you put a hand on your horse’s neck and made him stop. “ Good boy ” you said patting him slightly before jumping on the ground. Walking up the porch and into the house, you dropped your baseball bat, took your fingerless gloves off and brought the neck mask you were wearing under your chin.

Maggie came into view before you even got past the kitchen threshold. “ Went on the highway, there was a lot of those bitches. I killed some but couldn’t get ‘em all ” you told as you were taking off your leather jacket.

When you looked up at her, she looked like she was worried. “ You alright ? ” you asked. She nodded, “ I’m fine…But, these men, they appeared with a boy. He’s been shot by Otis, it was an accident ” she almost stuttered.  " Oh god, the boy, he with Hershel ? “ you enquired. She said he was and you made your way through the house.

Hershel took care of the boy and explained the whole situation to you. The boy’s name was Carl, the man giving his blood for him was his father, Rick, and the woman by his side was his mother, Lori. Otis was nowhere to be found and you were told that he left with Rick’s best friend, Shane, to go get supplies to build a respirator back at the school. ” I’ll go join them “ you told Hershel. ” It’s not a good idea, I might need your help with the boy “ he replied.

” Hershel, I’m a neurosurgeon and this boy’s nervous system and brain are fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. I’m of no use to him. Otis know the school, the other guy doesn’t. The walkers have surrounded the whole place. They will never make it on their own, carrying all the stuff, their weapons and running ? To me, they’re as good as dead, and so is this boy. I’m going after them, bring them back in one piece and with everything needed “ you stated.

He sighed but couldn’t stop you, you were a guest here, and free to do as you pleased with your life. By the time you jumped on your horse’s back, the sun was gone.   
Knowing the way, you let the horse run on his own while you focused on keeping an eye open for safety.

Arriving at the school, you saw Otis’ blue car. ” Well, at least they made it here “ you muttered. The silence of the night was only disturbed by the gurgling noise of the walkers. You jumped of surprise when you heard a gunshot. You cursed and jumped on the ground hoping for the horse to wait for you to come back. You took your weapons and moved. The car wasn’t locked and the keys had been left with it too. Someone shouted as you started the engine.

” And they parked the car too far away for them to make it out alive, idiots “ you huffed as you drove closer to the building, but still a bit away from the walkers. Looking at the fence, the walkers had gathered at a specific place and they seemed quite excited. Fishing your brass knuckles out of your leather jacket’s pocket, you put it on your left hand, which you also used to grab your baseball bat and grabbed your Glock with your right hand.

You got out of the vehicle and tried to look past the walkers. Two big bags moving around, some words yelled that you couldn’t make out. Two voices. Otis and the other guy were still alive. ” Well, you gotta do what you gotta do, a boy’s life’s in the game “ you pep-talked yourself. You whistled, gaining the attention of walkers. ” Hey buddies, how about you come and play with me ? Over here shitheads ! “ you yelled. One by one, you shot those coming towards in the head. You saw Otis and the other guy, Shane running the best they could towards you. Shooting more walkers, you emptied your gun. Rolling your eyes annoyed, you put it back in your belt. Using to fingers to whistle loudly, you called out the horse. ” [Y/N] ? “ yelled-asked Otis out of breath, coming towards you. You took some step towards them, ” Go to the car and get the hell out of here, I’ll distract and lose them “ you answered when they were close enough to hear you without the need to yell. You heard the horse coming, and when he got besides you, you jumped on it. ” You must be Shane “ you said to the man you didn’t know, ” you better go now if you want to save the boy, he won’t survive for long anymore “

You used your baseball bat to destroy the walkers’ skulls, keeping them away from the two men until they left. ” Come on boy, let’s give them the ride of their lives, yah ! “ you told the horse, giving him a light kick to make him run.

The school was probably 30/45 minutes away from the ranch, but at full speed, the car would probably be back in half that time, and the boy would be safe. The thought occurred to you after you had punched a walker in the jaw with the brass knuckles, making the bone fall to the ground. ” Eww gross buddy. You should take better care of that “ you commented. Being that close to a walker was always hard because they were smelling aweful and you had to put your neck mask back over your mouth and nose. With one last hit of baseball bat, the last walker that had still been after you was no more. Sweating and panting, you brushed your hand over your forehead, leaving a bloody trail that you didn’t care about. Giving a gentle pat on the horse’s neck, you settled back onto him. ” Come on boy, let’s go back “ you said.

You released a sigh of relief when the lights of the ranch came into view. You noticed that some people were outside, sitting on the porch. They lifted their heads up towards you when they heard the running animal. You were glad when both your feet touched the ground, you were getting sick of horse riding for at least a few hours if not days. As you walked to those you knew to be the parents of the kid, Hershel came out. He announced that the boy, Carl, was out of the woods and would be okay. He gave you a quick nod with a tiny smile before going back inside.

” Thank you “ you heard behind you. You turned around, it was the man that was with Otis. ” You must be Shane, I’ll gladly shake your hand but they’re a bit bloody “ you replied. He was leaning against Otis’ car. ” Night’s getting chilly, we should head back inside “ you told him, looking up at the dark sky. As you had been doing before, you took off the brass knuckles and your leather jacket before heading to the kitchen and thoroughly cleaning your hands.

Otis came to you asking if you were alright and after that, you properly introduced yourself to Lori and Rick, Carl as well when he woke up for a bit. A few minutes later you left them alone and noticed Shane, walking inside, limping. ” Hey “ you called out for him as you made your way to him. ” What happened to your ankle ? “ you asked. He shrugged, ” Jumped out of a window at the school, landed badly, it’ll pass “

” Indeed it will. But if you keep going like that and putting weight on it, it’s gonna take a long time. Come on, I’ll take care of it “ you told him, putting his arm over your shoulder and leading him through the house without asking for his opinion. You sat him besides the sink of the bathroom as you moved around, looking for bandages and a clean cloth you could put cold water on. ” How long have you been limping like that ? “ you asked. ” Few hours “ he replied. ” And no one offered to help you ? “ you replied in disbelief.

” It’s useless, I can take care of myself “ he retorted. ” You went all the way to save this boy’s life, your best friend’s son from what I understand, and they can’t spare five seconds to make sure you came back alright ? Shitty friends you got “ you mumbled while cautiously grabbing his ankle. You moved it around a bit, in slow motions not to hurt him. ” Well, hopefully for you, it’s just a sprain. Nothing’s been torn nor broken, you should be good in a few days “ you stated.

” You a doctor or something ? “ he asked, curious with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. ” Bit of both actually. I used to be a neurosurgeon, still am, but I doubt it’s of any use today “ you told him. He chuckled slightly and you raised an eyebrow. ” That’s funny “ he smiled. ” Why’s that ? “  ” You’re a neurosurgeon. Aren’t you supposed to fix brains instead of crushing them with a baseball bat ? “ he enquired still chuckling. You giggled, agreeing.   
” What about you ? “ you asked, ” What’s your job ? “  ” I was a cop “ he answered. You huffed, amused, ” I guess there isn’t much law left to apply anymore, right ? “  He  chuckled again, ” No, I guess not “

Brushing some dust off your knees, you got up. ” Take a shower, it’ll do you some good. Careful with the bandage though. I’ll try and find some clean clothes “ you told him leaving the bathroom to give him some privacy.

You came back after a while with a pile of fresh clothes. You knocked on the door. ” Come in “ allowed Shane. You stepped inside the room using your back to open the door. ” I found some stuff in my car, I don’t know if it’ll fit but that’s all I could come up with “ you said handing them to him. You kept your eyes locked with his because he was basically naked in front of you and because you were already invading his personal space you ddin’t need to be disrespectful by checking him out either.

” You are bruised “ you noticed when he bent down to put on the pair of pants. ” Yeah, probably got 'em after tonight “ he shrugged. You nodded. ” Dinner will be ready in a bit if you’re hungry. Or even if you’re not, you probably need to get some strength back “ you informed before leaving him alone once again.

” We need to set another table, there is not enough room for everyone “ observed Maggie. ” Don’t save one for me, I’m not hungry. Give my share to the boyd and his father, they need the food more than I do “ you stated before going outside.

You waited for everyone to be having dinner to go take a quick shower and get back to your car. The dark Jeep could almost be invisible in the dark of the night if the light of the moon didn’t reflect on the windows. You grabbed a blanket, a notebook and a pen from its trunk before settling on its hood, facing the forest.

Using the light coming from your flashlight, you rested your back on the windshield and read over the notes you had already written. It was the first time in weeks you had enough time to do that. You read : ” I don’t understand what’s happening. The dead do not stay dead and the only way to put them down seems to be by injuring the brain with something that can go deep enough to damage. “

A few pages later, ” After observation it would seem that a bite or a scratch is what turns them into those things “. A note you corrected a few lines forward, ” I was wrong. A bite and a scratch do turn people, but anyone dying naturally or for any other reason without having their brain touched, come back to the same state. The dead are not entirely dead and the living are barely surviving. We’ll all end up like them, it’s just a matter of time. It’s inside of us. We’re all infected. “

The ink of the last sentence was more recent than the rest, you had written it down three weeks ago. You sighed heavily and added two words in capital letters on a new page : "Memento Mori”

An unexpected whistle surprised you and got you out of your thoughts. “ That’s quite a good ride, this yours ? ” asked Shane’s voice. Politely, you closed your notebook and offered him a smile. “ Yeah, bought it as a gift to myself a few days before it all went crazy ” you explained, “ and it is quite a good ride. Comfortable, strong, fast and easy. Everything one might need in this new world ”

“ You got taste ” he nodded in agreement. “ Thank you ” you smiled. He lifted his hands a bit and you noticed a plate. “ Didn’t want to eat with the others ? ” you asked. “ Oh no, I already ate, 'tis for you. You didn’t come to dinner ” he stated. “ Yeah, ’m not hungry and other people could have better use of this food ” you shrugged. “ We all have to keep our strength, and after the show you put up earlier to save my life and the other guy’s, you’ve more than earned it ” he insisted, taking your notebook and shoving the plate in your hands instead.

You rolled your eyes, “ You don’t have to do that. Thank you ” you said taking a bite. He jumped on the Jeep’s hood and settled besides you without invading your personal space. After Hershel and his family, he was the first decent man you’d met.

He broke th silence when you put the empty plate between the two of you. “ So [Y/N], you with 'em ? ” he queried. “ The Greenes you mean ? No. They just generously offered me a shelter for a bit but I’ll be gone soon ” you replied. “ You on your own in those crazy times ? ” he had gotten from curious to surprised. “ This question is offending my survival skills ” you joked. “ I’m not mocking ya, it’s just insane that you’ve made it this far. Must be damn good at stayin’ alive ”

“ Being alone and having no one to care for makes it easier to stay on the move. I take what I need to survive, put some of them down for good and use the Jeep as shelter. The windows are tinted at 5% which makes it impossible to see inside ” you explained.

He hummed, not having anything to answer. Silence settled and you welcomed it. In the corner of your eyes, you saw that he kept looking around, making sure the night was still quiet. “ Are you alright ? ” you broke the silence. He turned his head towards you, licked his lips, looked away and back at you. “ Why wouldn’t I be ?” he shot back.

“ You seem haunted. Something happened tonight, before I got to the school ? ” you wondered. He didn’t say anything. “ I think you know how things woud have turned out hadn’t I showed up ” you stated certain of yourself. “ Yeah ? How so ? ” he was intrigued. An eyebrow cocked, a smirk hanging at the corner of his mouth, he looked arrogant and confident at the same time. You got off of the car and folded your blanket.

“ The two of you against a big number of them. You driven by the duty to save the boy’s life. Otis driven by guilt. Both driven by fear. Them driven by the most basic need to feed. Let’s be realistic, once you got everything for the respirator, you had a burden added to the whole travel back. And…” you started, putting your things back in the trunk of the Jeep when someone walked by. You kept your mouth shut while the person you didn’t pay attention to walked away. It seemed to be someone Shane knew. You grabbed a warm jacket and put it on, night was getting chilly. “ And ? ” you heard after closing the trunk.

“ And let’s be honest, your ankle is injured, Otis can’t keep up. You have to help each other. If you do, you both die. A sacrifice would have had to be made. And you were ready for that. You seem like a good leader and above that, a good survivor. You know when to take the harsh decisions to keep your people and yourself alive. You would have left Otis there as a bait, don’t even try to deny it, but that doesn’t mean you’re a bad guy. I know I would have done the same ” you finished.

“ [Y/N] ? ” you heard Maggie’s voice calling for you. She sounded worried. “ Comin’ ” you shouted back. Looking quickly into the distance, you saw a tent. Making up your mind, you got a different blanket from the back seat of your car and handed it to Shane. “ Night’s cold, it’ll keep you warm ” you walked away when he took it. 


	2. Part 2

A few days later, the entirety of Shane’s people were there and the boy was finally on his feet. One of them had discovered that Hershel’s barn was full of walkers though. You were standing in front of the doors listening to the walkers’ gurgling. “ That’s insane ” you whispered to yourself before going away, shaking your head in disbelief.

Walking to the camp established by Shane’s people, you offered a smile to the women taking care of the laundry. “ Good morning ” you greeted, “ I’ll be going in town to run a few errands, if there’s anything you need, just put it on a list ”

“ Okay, we will, thank you ” replied Carol. You said the same thing to the men taking care of the field’s security and to Hershel. Going over your own needs and things, you looked for what you had to bring back. Warmer clothes, oil for the vehicle, food and water if you could find some, a notebook along with some pens and some lady products. The idea of sleeping within a tiny distance from walkers disguested you. The sooner you’d be gone, the sooner you’d move on.

Making your way to the stables, you got to the horse you had rode with before. “ Hello boy, what do you say about going out for a bit ? ” you whispered, scratching his head. You got him ready for the trip and brought him in front of the house. After that, you worked on gathering everyone’s list.

You were putting your Glock in your belt when you heard steps coming towards you. “ Heard you were going on a supply trip ” said Shane. “ It has to be done, we all ran out of a thing or two, we all could use some more stuff ” you replied, putting a hunting knife in your boot.

“ You know that no one leaves on their own right ? ” he informed. “ Says who ? ” you retorted. “ Everyone ” he was proud of his response thinking he had the upper hand. You settled on the saddle and made sure you had enough containers for the supplies. “ Good for you, I’m making my own choices. I can fend for myself ” you shrugged.“ You’re not going alone ” he ordered. “ If you want to come, please be my guest. Otherwise, don’t patronize me, you’re not gonna impress nor scare me ” you countered, ordering the horse to move.

You heard him curse but paid him no mind as you got further away. To gain some time, you went through the forest, in an area you had already cleared. After some time, you heard a vehicle slowing down next to you and the sound of a window rolling down. “ I guess you decided to join the party then ” you mocked, “ my hero ”

“ You got a temper, you know that ? ” he sounded amused. You chuckled, “ It’s the pot calling the kettle black ”  " Very funny. Anyway, question, why the horse when you have a car ? “ he wondered. ” Lack of oil doesn’t leave me much of a choice “

The town was silent when you arrived, no trace of walkers. You guided the horse to the garage, where you’d find the oil you needed and where you could leave the horse while going through the shops. A walker had been impaled in the head and was pinned to the wall by a piece of metal. ” Cute “ you commented, scrunching your nose up in disgust.

” I’ll put the horse in here and get what I need, you can go get what your buddies need in the meantime. I’ll get the women’s stuff “ you assigned tasks. ” Why would I listen to you ? Splitting up is not a good idea “ he commented. Facing him, you swung your baseball bat and put it on your shoulder, ” Well, unless you wanna go get all this feminine stuff such as tampons or pads, or…“ ” Alright, I get the picture, smartass “ he cut you in the middle of your sentence. ” Good “ you nodded before getting to work.

” You got everything ? “ he asked when you met him back at the garage. ” Yeah, you ? “  "Yeah, let’s get out of here ” he said. You argued about the supplies because he wanted to put everything in the car while you wanted to take some with you on the horse since he was strong enough to handle it.  

“ Fine, take it and put everything in the car. Jesus man, your a pain in the ass mixed with a very stubborn mule ” you rolled your eyes. Shane, on the other hand, was amused, “ How about you give me a hand with the shopping bags ? ” “ You’re a big boy, you can handle it ” you smirked.

“ We have company ” you noticed just as you got on the saddle. “ Shit ! ” cursed Shane. You mentally high fived yourself for bringing your sword with you. Unsheathing it, you looked at Shane. “ Go ahead, I’ll distract them ” you advised.  " Where the fuck did you get a sword !? “ he exclaimed. ” Now is not the time Sane, but if you really want to know, I stole it after I found it in a museum. Please, feel free to arrest me later, we’re wasting time. I’ll open the road for you. “ you answered. With that you left him alone, moving ahead of the car on the way back.

Shane chuckled, hands on his hips, head hanging on the left side as he watched you. He licked his lips and smiled, amused, before he got back into the vehicle. He kept his window rolled down in case he had to shoot. ” Hey hey hey, hands off the horse you filthy scumbag ! “ he heard you reprimand a walker before you stabbed him in the brain. You were a real piece of wilderness. He liked that.   
The both of you made it back before the sunset and once you found yourself not surrounded by possible death, you relaxed a bit. You were making your way to Shane’s car to help him out when an upset Rick walked to him. ” Where the hell were you !? We needed you ! We went back to look for Sophia “ said Rick with an accusing tone. You jumped in before Shane could reply. ” It’s my fault. I wanted to go to town and I asked him to come with me. Had I known what you intended to do, I wouldn’t have interfered. I am sorry “ you lied.

Rick looked at you, huffed and walked away calling Shane after him. ” He’s mad enough, go with him. I’ll take care of the distribution “ you gave him a gentle smile before grabbing two bags and going into the house.

Daryl had wandered off to hunt so instead of giving him the arrows you had found in a hunting store, you just dropped them where he had settled his camp. After that, you took care of your own things. Organising your supplies in the trunk of your car, you took a mental note that you had enough of everything to survive two months, maybe three. The vehicle already had the whole fuel it needed so you had some extra if needed. Grabbing the oil you brought back, you got to work.

When the night arrived, dinner was served and you sat down with everyone. You weren’t paying attention, lost in your own thoughts when you heard your name. Your head shot up and you looked at the boy, Carl. ” I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you. What did you say ? “ you asked. ” Is it true that you’re a neurosurgeon ? “ he repeated. ” Indeed, I am. Not that it’s of any importance now “

” Could you teach me ? “ he was curious and hopeful. ” Carl “ warned his father. ” I can teach you what I know, but not the surgery part “ you replied, ” it takes years of practice and, like I said, it’s useless now “ you replied.

After dinner, you helped with the dishes and when it was done, someone volunteered to keep watch while the others went to get a well deserved rest. You watched as every source of light was turned off and everything went silent. You walked around the field for a bit, making sure the fences were holding up and that nothing would get in. Coming closer to the barn, you looked at it, there was something you couldn’t quite see that you could climb on to get inside and do everyone a favor by putting the walkers down.

With your hunting knife, you walked towards the barn. You were about to grab something to push yourself up when two arms circled you and pulled you backwards. Instinctively, you kicked your legs in all directions and threw your hand holding your knife behind you. ” Hey, hey, easy, it’s just me “ said Shane’s voice in your ear. The adrenaline rushing through your veins, you threw your head back and in a matter of seconds, you were free. ” Fuck ! “ he cursed.

Turning around, you glared at him. ” You scared the shit out of me, you idiot ! “ you whisper-shouted. He was holding his jaw, ” You got a hard skull, damn that hurts “ he winced. ” Yeah, well, you deserved that. Come on I think I busted your lip open, let’s get it cleaned up “ you replied.

He followed you to your car and sat down at the edge of the trunk when you opened it. ” What were you doing by the barn ? “ he asked. You grabbed your first aid kit and sat beside him before taking his chin in your hand and turning his head to you.

” What do you think ? Barn full of walkers that close to everyone is not safe, and complete bullshit. I wanted to see how many of them there is, see if I could take care of it, do all of us a favor “ you answered, putting some antiseptic on a piece of cotton.

” I guess we had the same idea then “ he said before wincing. ” Why do you need to sneak out on your buddy Rick to do that ? “ you wondered. ” ‘Cause he wouldn’t let me, he’s not used to making hard choices “ he shrugged. You hummed. ” You should survive a busted lip. If not, well, you deserved it “ you mocked. He chuckled.

He looked at the sky for a few seconds before looking back at you. ” Thank you “ he said. You raised an eyebrow, ” I hurt you, so it makes sense that I take care of the injury I caused “  ” I wasn’t thanking you for that. It was for everything else, the school, the talk, the fact that you didn’t judge me or treated me like shit, trusting me enough to let me go with you in town and standing up to Rick for me, even though you lied “ he explained.

You changed position, letting your legs dangle from the trunk, hands gripping the edge of it, head and eyes turned to the stars. ” Don’t thank me. The school was to save Carl. The talk was so that you might feel better about yourself, you had that haunted look, you are lost but there is no one for you when you’re there for everyone else. You’re not crazy and you’re not a monster. They probably wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you. I didn’t really have a choice with trusting you though. And I’ve never really liked bullies. Now don’t get me wrong, your friend seems like a good man with a good heart, but he’s overwhelmed and out of his comfort zone. Until he snaps out of it and changes, he won’t be able to face this new world. We all have to “ you told him.

” Now I know why you survived on your own, you’re way smarter than you let people know “ he complimented. Leaning a bit towards him, you gave him an amused smile, ” Be careful Shane, your soft is showing “

Jumping out of the car, you dusted off your pants. ” Get some sleep, I’m going to take watch. Goodnight “ you said before walking away.


	3. Part 3

Shane had lost his patience when he saw Rick catching walkers with Hershel to bring them back to the barn. Though he was a bit extreme, you agreed with him and took the walkers down. Everyone was shocked when Sophia, the little girl they had been looking for, walked out of the barn as one of them. Rick was the one to take her down.

“ Hershel, I get that you have faith and that you believe, I get that. But denial ain’t gonna work anymore, you say they’re still people but they’re not. The people are dead. Only the predators come back, dead but walking and you can’t fix it. I’ve tried, I’ve observed, the whole brain is totally fried. And trust me, there is no coming back from this ” you told him approving Shane’s decision. “ You don’t know that ” he retorted.

“What part of I’m a neurosurgeon and I’ve observed the insides of these things don’t you understand ? I know and I’m certain of what I’m saying. Shane did what he thought was right and he did what would protect us all and I totally support this decision ” you argumented.

He didn’t say anything and just walked away. “ Am I going crazy or are they ? ” asked Shane who stopped beside you, watching everyone walking away. Checking the remaining bullets of your Glock, you put the security back on before putting it in your belt. You needed a holster. “ You’re completely nuts, they’re crazy and Hershel’s in denial whereas I’m a realistic trying to not lose my mind ” you stated.

Kicking a rock with your boot, you sniffed because of the dust, “ This whole world is a mess, we’re falling apart and it’s only a matter of time before we all die ” you commented before heading to the well behind the house.

Some time later, you had seen Hershel leaving the property but didn’t pay him no attention. He could take care of himself. “ [Y/N] ? ” you heard Carl’s voice calling your name. “ Yeah ? ” you were putting on a clean shirt. “ Do you think that maybe you could teach me some of the stuff you know ? I can’t stop thinking about Sophia ” he said with a glint of sadness in his eyes.

You gave him a tiny smile and nodded. “ Of course buddy. Here, why don’t you find a nice place to sit and I’ll bring a book or two, alright ? ” you accepted. Grabbing one of your notebooks, you went to join the boy, unaware of Shane watching you from a distance. He was looking out for the kid but knew he was safe with you.

“ Okay buddy, what do you want to know ? ” you asked Carl. “ Neurons ? ” he arched an eyebrow “ Sure, it’s part of what I know. First of all, you need to know that there are 4 different types of neurons. You have interneurons, sensory neurons, motor neurons and the neurons that are part of the pyramidal cells. They may have different names and roles, they all have the same three basic parts : cell body, dendrites and axon ” you explained.

You opened your notebook and showed him a drawing of a neuron. You pointed at the different parts for him to understand. “ What’s that thing surrounding the axon ? ” he wondered pointing at the specific part. “ Oh, that’s the myelin sheath, it surrounds the axon…” you started before being abruptly cut. “ Carl, have you seen your mother ? ” asked Shane a panic in his voice. “ Not since this afternoon ” shrugged the boy.

Sensing something was wrong, you looked at Carl. “ Hey buddy, why don’t you take this and go through it ? Learn some of it on your own while I help Shane and when I’ll come back I’ll test what you memorised okay ? ” you said gently.

“ What is it ? ” you asked Shane as Carl ran back to the house, excited to have a mission. “ We can’t find Lori and Andrea said she was worried about Rick. I think she went to find him ” he answered speaking fast. “ Alright, come on, let’s take my car, we’re gonna look for her. Do you know where Rick went ? ” you replied calmly.

“ After Hershel, in a bar in town ” he simply said. “ Let’s go. Here, you drive, I’ll look around, I’m in a much more capable mind since I’m not freaking out ” you announced handing him your car keys.

“ So, you and Lori huh ? ” you asked smirking. Shane looked at you with a weird look. “ What ? No ! She’s my bestfriend’s wife  ” he seemed outraged. “Sure. And from what Carl told me, Rick wasn’t in the picture until recently. He even said that you saved them and protected them. So, were you in love with her before everything or it happened after ? ” you shot back.

“ After ” he grunted. “ I knew it ! ” upi said victorious while looking outside the window. “ We had a little adventure, Rick came back, it ended, I thought I was in love with her, turns out I’m not. I’m just looking out for my people and she’s part of that ” he explained.

“ And you ? No one ? ” he asked in return. “ I’m not answering that. Over here ! Look, there’s a car. Seems it had an accident, it’s recent ” you warned him. He stopped the car and you both got out.

“ She’s not here. By the looks of it, she got out, she’s walking. It means that she’s alive, but she might have a concussion. We need to find her ” you commented, watching the wreck that was the car.

“ Let’s keep moving ” he said going back to the Jeep. “ She can’t be too far, the accident is still fresh and if she’s a bit dizzy from it, she can’t walk very fast. We will find her ” you closed the door and sat down, grabbing a flashlight.

After finding Lori, making sure she was safe and getting back to the farm, everyone waited for Rick, Glenn and Hershel to come back. You were just sitting on the porch, reading, mentally taking notes to not stay much longer.

“ You do realise that you’re a big dude and your shadow is right on my book, right ? ” you said keeping your eyes on your page. “ I’m gonna take that as a compliment ” chuckled Shane sitting down on your left. “ You can. It was good what you did earlier. Lying to Lori so she would come back with us and be safe ” you said. “ Yeah, I’m not sure everyone thinks the same ” he replied scrunching up his nose. “ They haven’t processed the whole situation just yet, they don’t really measure what’s out there and what needs to be done to stay alive. They’ll come around at some point, and they’ll be glad to have you by their sides to lead them ” you lifted your head to give him a genuine smile. He looked at you before huffing amused, “ You’re something else [Y/N], you know that ? ”  " So it would seem "

” You were right earlier. When you asked if there was anyone. Well, there isn’t anymore but there was. Keith, he was my husband “  you informed him after a few seconds of silence. ” I’m sorry to hear that. How long were you married ? “ he asked with a comforting spark in the eyes. ” Ten years a week before it all went to hell. Don’t look at me like that, we got married really young, I know that “ you rolled your eyes. ” Damn, I’m feeling like I’ve ruined my life now. I mean, I’ve never even really settled down with anybody, let alone long enough to talk marriage, and you’ve been married for 10 years already ? Wow, you surprise me everyday, woman “ he said truly impressed.


	4. Part 4

You reloaded your gun as you frantically looked everywhere around you. You didn't know how it had come to this. Everyone was having a quiet time when Randall, the prisoner in the barn had been missing to be found dead later in the forest which also led to an injured and bleeding Shane before all hell broke loose and walkers started invading the property. It was all a big nonsense but you didn't have time to think of that as you threw your empty weapon away and took a hold of your baseball bat.

" Now would be a great moment to get the vehicles and get the hell out of here ! " you shouted as you crashed a walker's head, getting blood all over yourself. You quickly looked over your shoulder and saw that Lori and Carol were trapped on the porch with the kids. T-Dog was making his way towards them. " Lori, stay put, I'm coming to you ! " you told her. She looked at you terrified but nodded.

The barn was on fire, the RV was in front of it, blocking some of the walkers, the whole farm being overcrowded with walkers made it hard to see very far and know who was where. " Get the hell away from you stinky rotting atrocity " you growled when one of the walkers almost grabbed you. Rather hardly you made your way to the porch. " Get into a car, and drive away, to safety, I'll open the way for you, " you told the girls. They thanked you. " Thank me when we're out of here and alive, " you said, bending down to grab your hunting knife.

Having a few seconds to catch your breath, you looked around. Hershel was firing as much as he could but he could only do so much before risking to die. You watched as Rick and Carl came to him with a truck before they drove away. You caught sight of Shane before the fences, defending himself as much as he could but you noticed that he was bleeding. " Fuck ! " you swore before jumping above the porch, you ran to him.

You took the gun in his hands and put his arm around your shoulder, dragging him with you to the stable while shooting around to create a way out. " Put pressure on your wound " you ordered. " Funny, usually I'm the one saving people " he smirked before wincing from the pain. " Yeah well, looks like I can take care of myself better " you replied. You shoved the Jeep's keys in his hand, he gave you an intrigued look. " I'm gonna take the horse, distract them and lead them away from the stable. You take the Jeep and you get the hell out of here " you indicated. You jumped on the horse's back. " Your people need you, Shane, whether they're aware of it or no, so stay alive " you gave him back his gun and kicked the horse lightly for it to move.

" Okay maybe the horse wasn't the best idea " you muttered when the animal got surrounded by walkers and started freaking out. Using your sword you decapitated the walkers one by one as they came close but there was only so many movements your arms could do before getting cramps. The roar of an engine reached your ears and you turned your head. You watched as your Jeep rolled over some of the walkers, hit others and got covered in dirty, sticky blood. You pouted at the scene.

" Get your ass in the car fast ! " shouted Shane through the window when he got the vehicle to where you were. You rolled your eyes but threw your stuff inside the car, and jumped on the ground. You smacked the horse's rear, wishing for him to make it out alive as he ran for his life away from the farm. Without skipping a beat, you got into the car but sat on the edge of the window, aiming your gun and shooting as much as you could. " Ah fuck " you cursed when you had no more bullets to shoot and sat back down inside the car.

Turning around and kneeling on your seat you stretched to the back to grab ammunition and reloaded your weapon when you heard a scream. You pushed your back against the dashboard to be able to look out and noticed Andrea, alone, surrounded and terrified. " It's Andrea, she needs help, " you said, stretching your leg over the top of the seat and gliding your back down the dashboard until it was resting right under your shoulder blades, then you put the tip of your gun on the window and aimed. " We can't go back, it's too dangerous and there are too many of them, they keep on comin', " said Shane, hands gripping the wheel so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

You didn't say anything because he was right. Besides, she was his people not yours so if he could afford a loss, it was on him. Without a word, you let the window go up, put the safety back on your gun and threw it in the back with the others then you sat back properly. " The others went the other way, they went back to the highway, " you told him. " It was impossible to get on that road, I went where I could " he replied.

You hummed, " Where are you going then ? " you asked. " I don't know, for now, I'm just getting the hell away from the farm. Then we'll see " he shrugged. Releasing a sigh, you let your head fall back and closed your eyes to get yourself back in a more calm state of mind. Letting the adrenaline of the farm cool down. " Are you still bleeding ? " you asked, your eyes still closed. " A bit, " he said after checking. Opening the glovebox, you grabbed the first aid kit you kept there. " Keep driving, it'll distract you from the pain and you keep your eyes on the road " you ordered.

You turned on your seat to face him and bent down, lifting his shirt up to see the wound. " Relax, I'm just checking your wound, not jumping your bones, " you told him when he tensed under your touch. " Dude, you're bleeding all over my leather seat, come on! You are so washing the car when we stop " you exclaimed. He huffed but let you do your thing in silence.

" You do that often ? " he wondered. " Giving my car keys to a stranger while going on a killing rampage on dead-but-not-so-dead people? Not really " you arched an eyebrow. " I could have guessed that. No, I meant, stitching people up in places/situations not really made for it " he elaborated. You chuckled, " Oh, I wouldn't say often but it happened once or twice " you shrugged.

Once Shane deemed there was enough distance between the farm and the two of you, he followed a clear path in the forest for a while and stopped the car by what seemed to be an abandoned house. " Stay here, I'm gonna check if there are any walkers around or inside, " you said, grabbing your sword. " Why don't you check the house while I check the surroundings " he suggested instead, opening the driver's door. You gave him an annoyed look.

" You gave orders to your people because they're clueless about what to do to survive. I'm not your people, I've taken care of myself this far, and I'm gonna keep it that way. If we're doing this, Shane, this is partnership, not dictatorship. Right now you're injured, it's fresh and with the adrenaline leaving your system you're gonna start feeling the pain. I'm not bossing you right now, I'm being practical " you stated. He nodded and you walked away. First the house, because with that cleared, you could bring Shane inside while going around the woods.

Luckily, the house was untouched and you only found one walker. After killing it, you dragged the body outside and went back to the car. " House is clear, here let me help you, " you told Shane, putting his arm around your shoulders and helped him into the house. Once you were done with checking everything and you used a thread and empty cans as the alarm system, you went back.

" Area's secured, there wasn't more than three walkers wandering aimlessly, " you said, as you walked into the living room. No reply. Shane was lying down on the couch, eyes closed. You made your way to him and kneeled beside him. You brought your ear above his mouth and nose, he wasn't breathing. Putting two fingers against his neck, there was no heartbeat. " Shit " you muttered before hovering over him and starting CPR. Fortunately, it worked and he took a deep inhale but still didn't seem fine. His breathing wasn't normal and his heartbeat slower than it should have. Not thinking twice you tore his shirt apart and threw it away somewhere in the room. Looking at his chest, you swore.

 

Shane woke up feeling a bit dizzy and in pain. His chest and left side were hurting him a lot and he grunted, trying to sit up. For a second he wondered what was happening and where he was but the memories flooded his mind. A commotion near made him look up his to see you in the kitchen, cooking.

You turned your head at the same moment and smiled, “ Well, look who decided to wake up. Welcome back amongst the living, or whatever you want to call it “ you said. “ What happened ? “ he asked in a rusty voice after his time unconscious. “ Give me a sec “ you replied holding up a finger to press your point. You resumed what you were doing, slightly humming some tune. It was odd considering the world you were in.

When you were done cooking whatever it was you were cooking, you made your way to him, two plates filled with food in each hand. You put them on the carpet on the ground, near the couch Shane was on. " How are you feeling ? " you asked, putting a hand on his forehead, then checking his pulse. " Like I've been hit by a bus " he groaned. " I hardly believe that a cardiac tamponade feels like that but if you say so " you commented, checking his eyes and looking for a concussion that wasn't there. " Care to explain ? " he looked at you straight in the eyes.

" Damn, those eyes are searching my soul. Back away intruder " you joked. " You had a cardiac arrest, CPR brought you back to life but your heart was compressed and too much blood was filling your chest, to alleviate the pressure and prevent you from dying, I had to dig a tiny hole near your heart and let the blood out of your body. And that explains the pain you're feeling, but at least you're alive. I bet you're glad you're stuck with a surgeon now, right ? " you chuckled at your own words.

He nodded not answering, taking all the information in at once. Grabbing one of the plates, you handed it to him. “ Eat, you’ve been out for a bit more than 24 hours, “ you said. You both ate in silence. It was so quiet it was as if nothing was happening in the outside world and you were simply on a trip of some kind with a man you had met a while back.


	5. Part 5

" It's been eight months, Shane, maybe we should try and find another place. We've been lucky this far but I don't think we should push our luck " you stated while taking a bite of the apple he gave you. " I know, but like you said we've been lucky this far, what tells you we won't be anymore ? We've gotten used to the cabin, we have a tiny garden, what we have is steadiness. Besides we didn't meet much walkers " argued Shane while putting all the necessary stuff he could find in the empty store inside his backpack. " Sure. But we've met people. Need I remind you how it ended ? I'll wait by the car " you shot back a bit harshly, closing your own backpack and walking out.

" Okay, first of, no I don't need a reminder. And second, we didn't kill them for the thrill of it, they were trying to take the car " replied Shane climbing up in the passenger seat of the Jeep. " Yeah and we should have let them, but you had to be a hero and open your mouth " you told him, eyes focused on the road ahead of you while driving. " We still have the Jeep right ? " he was being smug. You slapped him behind the head. " And you're lucky your head is still on your shoulders because the guy was a lousy shot and got you in the shoulder ! " you shouted annoyed. You kept quiet the rest of the way back to the cabin.

By the time you got back and sorted out the things you had found on your supply run, night had fallen. " Area's secured, alarm system's still holding up. I'm gonna take a shower " announced Shane passing by the guest room you used as a lab. He stopped and went back when you didn't respond. Carefully, he opened the door and put an arm over his nose for the death's scent assaulted him. 

" What are you doing ? " he asked as he watched you hovering over a dead walker's head. " I am taking the brain out of the body to cut it in slices and . . . " you said looking up at him, " you're missing a shirt, deputy " " What, you don't like the view ? " he was smirking. You scoffed, " I was married to a soldier. I got used to the view after so many years. Besides, you got fluffy over the winter "

He chuckled at your reply, " Care to help me work it off ? " he flirted. You arched an eyebrow with an amused smile, you put down the scalpel you were holding and made your way towards him. You made him walk backward, out of the room until he hit the wall. Slowly gliding your hand from his belt to his chest, you put your lips beside his ear and whispered, " You couldn't handle me "   
Before he even got time to process the situation, you were telling him to go shower and closing the door on his face while going back to your previous activity.

Twenty minutes into your brain-slicing, you heard Shane calling your name. Putting down the walker's mid-sagittal section, you took off the plastic gloves you had on and made your way to the bathroom. " Need anything ? " you asked, walking through the door. He was looking at you, holding a pair of scissors in his hands. " Can you use your words please ? Because scissors can have a lot of meaning like you luring me there to kill me " you said with an arched eyebrow.

" Would you mind helping me with my hair please ? " he replied after rolling his eyes. " Oooh is this the moment where we've bonded enough for us to braid each other's hair ? Are we also gonna sing Kumbaya around a pile of burning walkers ? " you smiled with your eyes wide open. Shane looked at you, awestruck. You laughed, " Kidding, give me that before you hurt yourself " you said taking the scissors from him.

He sat down on the toilet seat, eyes never leaving you. " Just want them a bit shorter, they've grown since July " he stated. You hummed, " Spread your legs if you want me to have access to your mane "

He smirked, " Oh darling, I didn't think it'd be that easy " You looked down at him looking up at you, and gave him your best smug smile. " I'm gonna make it so much harder for you " you said. You sat on his left thigh and grabbed his chin with one hand forcing his head to keep looking straight into the mirror's reflection.

By the time you were done with his hair and about to start trimming his beard, you were completely straddling him. " Now you're not playing fair " he said, when you moved a bit closer to get a better look at what you were doing and make sure to not ruin his glorious beard. Fully engrossed in your task, you hummed, " I don't know what you're talking about, now if you'd please keep your mouth shut so that I don't hurt you " you replied, honestly not paying attention to the current situation.

" Oh my god " you whispered once you were done and looking at him fully. " What ? " he asked a bit scared by your reaction. You got up and put your hands on your cheeks as if shocked. " You actually look like something ! " you exclaimed. He gave you the finger, though he was smiling and you left him alone to go back mind your own business.


	6. Part 6

“ Neurocysticercosis, it can be gross but it’s easy and quick ” you said taping the window of a store to make sure there was no walkers inside. Shane gave you a puzzled look. “ Without much details and a real lesson on it, let’s just say it’s a worm eating its way inside your brain and it can cause epilepsy ” you added. “ That’s gross ” he stated, his nose crunching up in disgust. “ Says the man who put his hands inside a walker’s guts” you rolled your eyes.

Since no walker came alerted by the sound you made, you deduced that there were none in the store. Shane opened the door and with a smirk, gestured for you to go inside, “Ladies first“ he reminded. “ Chivalry, of course. And here I thought for a second that you were a coward “ you shot back, hitting his hip with yours while walking past him and going in.

In a world like this one, it was survival of the fittest. You had gotten used to the walkers, and to be honest, you didn’t fear them nearly as much as you feared other living people. Surviving on your own at first seemed like a good thing, and you didn’t trust anyone but almost a year in this mess and you were glad to have Shane with you. You trusted him, and you knew you were right to do so.

He might have come off as a lunatic to many, the people he knew, the ones you’d met along the road, those you killed and those you helped but he was actually nothing of it. If not, he was the most sane mind you’d encountered. He was practical, honest, strong, and he exuded a confidence that made it easy for him to appear as a natural leader. Also, even though you were working together to survive, you listened to one another because you were both smart and called the other off when wrong. Which is why you stayed quiet and hidden in the back of the store when he claimed he heard a noise and seconds later you heard the door open.

You looked at each other and nodded. After a while you had developed a strategy, and you didn’t need words to understand each other. Paying careful attention to the noises, you were glad that you had parked the car outside of the town, still in the woods, and finished the way up there on foot.

“ It seems safe, I’ll check the back “ said a voice you recognized. And Shane recognized the other person’s voice when they answered. “ Maggie ?! “ “ Glenn ?! “ you and Shane exclaimed, after exchanging a glance, moving out of your hiding place. You had never been so happy to encounter people before.

After exchanging hugs, and words on how much you had thought each of you were dead, you raided the store and went outside. The town was deserted so it was safe for you to not be rushing. " So, are we gonna ask the dreaded question ? I mean, you seemed pretty busy in talking with Glenn, so you probably didn't pay attention to anything else, but I did. Maggie was carrying a bag full of baby formula, meaning Lori gave birth, also meaning that more of them could still be alive and have a shelter " you wondered after putting your supplies in the car.

At the mention of Lori and baby formula you had Shane's full attention but when you talked about the others and their possible shelter, something darkened his eyes. " You've been wanting to get back to your people this whole time and now you might have the chance to do so, you're hesitating ? What is it Shane ? " you said in a low voice so that Glenn and Maggie wouldn't hear you.

He sighed and turned his head to look at you, a hand on the trunk's door. " It's been a year [Y/N], do you think that if they're all alive it's just going to be hugs and smiles and telling stories of what we've all been through ? Don't you think Rick has taken the lead and will want to establish his superiority over me ? And don't even get me started on the people that don't like me because it's basically all of them. What we have here, you and I, our partnership, it's good, it's simple. We trust each other, we're equals. I don't want us to lose that "

Silently you listened to him, nodding here and there, understanding his point. " Do you think we should go with them ? " he asked you after a few seconds of silence. " I don't know. But I know you, I know me and I know us. You're right, what we have is good and if you want us to keep that, it's fine by me. The choice is yours, Shane, I will follow you no matter what you decide " you replied with a small smile and a comforting hand on his cheek.

Maggie and Glenn were talking when they got interrupted. " Where is it that you good people callin' home ? " asked a new voice coming out of nowhere. As usual, you took your gun and took the security off, moving carefully towards the new arrived. Shane did the same. " You get Maggie, I get Glenn, we get the hell out of here, deal ? " you whispered to him. He looked at you, nodded and kept moving. " Merle ?! " said Glenn. " Hey back the hell up ! " yelled Maggie as the so-called Merle took a few steps forward.

You didn't pay attention to what was said next, everything went crazy fast. Merle launched himself onto Glenn and tried to get to Maggie but you got in his way first. " [Y/N] ! " shouted Shane distracting you for a second and giving Merle a chance to catch you.   
" Now we're gonna go for a little drive, she and me. No one follows or she's dead, got it ? " said Merle tightening his grip around your neck. " No way " refused Shane. " Okay. I'll go with you, no one has to die " you agreed, your eyes locked in a silent plea with his dark ones. " Go back with Glenn and Maggie, I'll be fine " you nodded to make your point. After that, Merle threw you into the driver's seat of Glenn's pick up and jumped on the passenger's seat, his gun still pointed at your head. As you drove away following his instruction, you looked into the rearview mirror and saw Shane slowly disappearing in the distance even though he was running into the direction you had left.


End file.
